Casual Dining

Nine Lives bar to open al fresco dining space

23-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Neighbourhood-style bar Nine Lives in London Bridge is to launch an al fresco drinking and dining destination on Holyrood Street next month.

Soho House secures £81m injection

22-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Soho House has secured a $100m (£81m) equity injection to shore up its finances across its global network of venues.

Camden Town Brewery pledges to give away 260,000 pints of beer through new initiative

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Camden Town Brewery is launching a campaign to support pubs across the UK as they prepare to reopening following the Government-mandated lockdown of the industry.

Star announces support package to aid reopening

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Star Pubs & Bars has invested £250,000 in a reopening support package for its licensees.

PizzaExpress launches delivery-based offshoot

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

PizzaExpress is to launch its first 'virtual', delivery-only brand early next month.

More openings for McDonald’s this week

22-Jun-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

McDonald’s is launching a walk-in takeaway service across 250 of its restaurants this week.

Anthony Demetre on re-opening and a possible return for Arbutus

22-Jun-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Anthony Demetre has re-opened his King's Cross restaurant Vermuteria offering an abridged takeaway menu alongside coffee and vermouth-based drinks.

Chancellor mulls VAT cut

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering a cut to VAT in a bid to jumpstart the UK economy following the Coronavirus lockdown.

PM set to announce relaxation of social distancing measures

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Boris Johnson is reportedly set to announce a reduction in the Government's two-metre social distancing rule tomorrow (23 June).

Roxy Leisure appoints new chairman as it prepares to push forward with expansion

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Former JD Wetherspoon MD Mark McQuater has been named as the chairman of competitive socialising group Roxy Leisure.

Rick Stein Group to close two of its restaurants

22-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

The Rick Stein Group has announced that two of its restaurants will not reopen once lockdown is lifted.

Operators predict painful and protracted post-lockdown recovery

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Hospitality businesses are expecting levels of trade to be 'significantly suppressed' in the months to come according to a new survey carried out by trade body UKHospitality.

Edinburgh's Tower Restaurant to close permanently

22-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Tower Restaurant, which sits atop of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, is to remain closed permanently post-lockdown due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Soho Summer campaign calls for changes to Westminster Council proposals

19-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Soho Summer Street Festival campaign has called for changes to be made to Westminster Council's plans to temporarily close roads and create al fresco dining spaces across the borough

Friday Five: The week's top news

19-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

As the Coronavirus crisis continues to dominate the headlines, we round-up some of the main stories regarding how it has affected the hospitality industry in the past week.

Sebastian Lyall on his 'Covid 19-proof' restaurant

19-Jun-2020 By Stefan Chomka

Bar and restaurant and immersive entertainment group Lollipop is opening a ‘Covid 19-proof’ interactive restaurant in Chelsea this summer.

Lease forfeiture moratorium extended as Government sets out Code of Practice

19-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Government has extended its rent protection period for commercial tenants until the end of September in a move that will be greatly welcomed by operators across the hospitality sector.

Alert level downgrade brings renewed hope for hospitality sector

19-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The UK's Coronavirus alert level has been downgraded from four to three, which could pave the way for a relaxation of social distancing measures.

Clean Kitchen Club to launch in Brighton

19-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Youtube personality Mikey Pearce is to launch a vegan burger concept in Brighton later this month, with aspirations of it becoming the 'fastest growing plant-based delivery-kitchen brand in the UK'.

Holyrood holds off on confirming Scottish hospitality sector reopening date

19-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Scottish Government has reaffirmed its intention to allow the country's hospitality sector to restart in mid-July, but has pushed back any official announcement until the beginning of next month.

Living Ventures' Blackhouse and Newgate businesses enter administration

18-Jun-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Living Ventures has placed its Blackhouse and Newgate businesses into administration, affecting four restaurants.

D&D London sets out reopening strategy

18-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

High-end restaurant group D&D London has announced it will be reopening 17 of its UK locations early next month, pending the lifting of Government restrictions.

Irish pub guidelines features relaxed social distancing and restricted booking slots

18-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Ireland's tourism agency, Fáilte Ireland, has published its guidelines for reopening pubs in the country, which includes some relaxation to social distancing measures and booking slots restricted to 105 minutes.

James Cochran's 12:51 to re-open for eat-in as Around The Cluck

18-Jun-2020 By Joe Lutrario

James Cochran is to re-open his Islington restaurant 12:51 under his recently created fried chicken delivery brand Around The Cluck.

Oakman Inns challenges PM over reopening as it eyes 4 July date

18-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Oakman Inns says it will be opening its entire estate on 4 July, and has challenged Prime Minister to tell it otherwise.

Greene King apologises for links with slave trade

18-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Pub group Greene King has apologised for its historic links to the slave trade and pledged to donate money to black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.

Hospitality sector reopening announcement delayed by Government review

18-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Plans to announce that pubs and restaurants in England could reopen on 4 July have reportedly been delayed by the Government's review of the two-metre social distancing rule.

Costa plans for extensive reopening

18-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Costa Coffee will have more than 1,000 of its UK sites reopened by the end of the month.

Second lockdown would sound death knell for one in three hospitality businesses

18-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

A second lockdown would sound the death knell for a third of hospitality businesses, according to the findings from a new survey.

NTIA demands further support for the NTE and events sector

18-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Night Time Industry Association (NTIA) has urged the Government to continue offering financial support to the night-time economy (NTE) and events sector until the end of the year.

Admiral Taverns launches online support platform for licensees

17-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Admiral Taverns has launched an online support platform to help its licensees as they prepare to reopen their pubs after more than three months of being closed.

Pret trials click and collect

17-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger is to trial a click and collect service for the first time across five of its reopened London stores, with evening delivery options also on the cards.

Hiscox faces £40m arbitration claim

17-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Law firm Mischon de Reya has formally commenced its arbitration claim against the insurer Hiscox for non-payment of business interruption insurance.

Westminster Council proposes introducing temporary al fresco dining spaces

17-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Westminster Council has set out plans to temporarily close roads and create al fresco dining spaces across the borough once hospitality businesses are given the green light to reopen.

AA launches accreditation scheme to help restore consumer confidence in hospitality businesses

17-Jun-2020 By Stefan Chomka

The AA is launching an assessment scheme that it says will support the hospitality industry in re-establishing and rebuilding consumer confidence as the UK prepares to come out of lockdown.

Trade bodies urge Government to extend rent protection period

17-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Industry bodies from across the leisure, hospitality and retail sectors have called for the Government to take urgent steps this week to extend protection from rent enforcement activity.

Le Pain Quotidien rescue deal confirmed with 11 sites closed

16-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Bakery brand Le Pain Quotidien's UK operation has been sold in a pre-pack administration deal.

Pan Pacific delays London opening until 2021

16-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Pan Pacific hotel group has announced it is to push back the opening date of what will be its first London site until early 2021.

Staking a claim: the restaurants taking on their insurance companies

16-Jun-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Two months into the UK lockdown that forced restaurants to close and hospitality businesses and their insurers remain at loggerheads over payouts.

Pubs and restaurants in Northern Ireland given green light to reopen earlier than planned

16-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Stormont Executive has agreed to bring forward the reopening days of pubs, restaurants and hotels in Northern Ireland to 3 July.

Purezza to push forward with expansion after securing third site

16-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Vegan pizza brand Purezza says that despite the unforeseen challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic, the company is still on track to expand its estate this year.

Restaurant leaders write to the Prime Minister asking for action to help hospitality sector

16-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

CEOs of restaurant groups including Itsu, Pizza Hut, Pret A Manger and Wagamama as well as delivery platform Deliveroo have written to the Prime Minister calling for measures to help support the hospitality sector.

Government urged to give hospitality sector an opening date as soon as possible

16-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

The Government is being urged to provide the hospitality sector with a definite date on when restaurants, pubs and hotels can reopen.

Seafood Pub Company enters administration

16-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Multi-award-winning gastropub group The Seafood Pub Company has entered administration.

Creams to introduce QR codes and ice cream van jingles to help prompt distancing and sanitisation

15-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Dessert-focused chain Creams is to introduce QR codes to access menus and an ice cream van jingle to prompt all team members to wash their hands and sanitise surfaces.

Government 'must amend' JRS to allow tronc payments says Treasury Select Committee

15-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Treasury Select Committee says the Government 'must amend' the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) to allow tronc payments to be included.

Richard Caring urges Government for more information on how restaurants can reopen

15-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Richard Caring has warned that Boris Johnson’s “weakness and indecision” on reopening restaurants, pubs and cafes will cost more than two million workers their jobs.

Hospitality shutdown responsible for a quarter of UK's GDP fall

15-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Government-mandated shutdown of the hospitality sector was responsible for nearly a quarter of the GDP losses felt by UK business in April, according to the CGA's latest UKHospitality Tracker.

City Pub Group prepares for ‘more efficient, streamlined business'

12-Jun-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

City Pub Group will reopen with a “reset, more efficient, streamlined business”, executive chairman Clive Watson has told the markets.

Flash-grilled: Mark Wogan

12-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Working with his brother Alan, Mark Wogan runs pizza-by-the-slice group Homeslice, which as well as recently reopening for delivery, has also launched a take and bake service across the capital.